At What Price?
by SimonetteD
Summary: At first there was five of them, but the psycho vampire that had acquired them that fateful night had already bartered the first girl off. Who would be next? Jane has accepted her fate but doesn't count on the intense Viking vampire that must have her at any price. Will this be her saviour or just another prison?


_I know Eric and other True Blood characters do not make much of an appearance in this chapter but they most certainly will in the next, which as you'll tell by the end of this chapter I'm kind of setting it up for._  
_I welcome any and all reviews, comments, hints and last but certainly not least, criticism._  
_Hope you enjoy,_

Chapter 1. Dark Hallways

Jane sat on the black leather couch starring down at her tall black heels regretting as she had countless times before on her choice of footwear that fateful night a week and a half before. Jane was currently being 'held captive by a group of vampires'. That was the simplest way she could put something that seemed endlessly confusing. The word captive is what she used even though she and the other three girls that had been taken with her were currently sitting quite comfortably on a seemingly expensive black leather couch in what was a very expensive private function room at yet another random vampire club. They had been left there in silence to wait as usual, while whatever business was being conducted elsewhere.

She and the other girls were wearing exactly what they had been that night over a week ago, although they had thankfully been allowed to shower and had had their garments washed and dry cleaned every day. The 'group of vampires' was the best she could do to describe them, they were something like a gang or mafia or both, she had heard one of the other girls whisper something about a 'nest', but Jane just didn't know. Prior to this she had never met a vampire or even heard or discussed them much at all.

The girl next to her had started to whimper again, that was Darling, she had very consistently kept up her pouting, hysteric, and crying fazes during the entire time. While at first all the other girls had comforted her and been sympathetic, after several days in a row of the same thing they each gave up and soon came to just ignore her when she started one of her episodes. Jane was the only one left who still tried to console her in some way when she got like this. She knew it wasn't really the best thing for Darling, it wouldn't really help her in the long run, but she just didn't have it in her to deliver the cold hard fact that she ought to grow up and learn to accept her imminent doom. It was a conversation she just didn't have in her right now.

Jane rubbed her back as she once again glanced down and admonished her choice of the very awesome looking but rather uncomfortable shoes. If she had had some kind of inkling of what lay ahead of her she would never of gone out that night in the simple but often infuriatingly delicate little black dress and those unnecessarily high black heels, in fact if she'd had any inkling she obviously wouldn't have gone out at all. She had been catching up with some friends for a drink that night before everything had gone wrong and she ended up in this mess. She had just been off to the bar to order her next drink when she decided to slip down the hallway next to the bar for a second of peace or something like it. The blaring music wasn't as loud here and there were only a few stray people scattered down the hallway, mostly just trying to get in a few words without having to scream above the music to be heard.

Jane closed her eyes and leant back against the wall for a moment. When she opened them again a pair of black eyes was staring right at her, mere inches away from her face. After the initial shock wave rippled through her body the next few moments were a blur of strong arms pushing and pulling her, a hand over her mouth and a car door opening. Eventually she realized there was more that one of them pushing her into and pulling her down into the dark car. She was squashed between an ice cold, rock hard figure on her right who had just slammed the car door closed after them and kept a hand over her mouth, and another figure on her right that seemed to be squirming and whimpering much the same as she was. She could see a bright turquoise dress out of the corner of her eye. Before she knew it the car was moving, she felt suddenly numb with the realization that she was likely to die tonight and it was all she could do not to run through all the crime documentaries she'd seen in her head, picking out the worst possible scenarios and applying them to her situation.  
Jane snapped back to the present when she realised Darling had gone dead quiet and stiff beside her. They could now hear the muffled voices outside the door. Jane felt her muscles tense as they always did when their captors were around.

Bruce entered first as he always did. Jane knew if Bruce was not first to enter the room he would not be coming. He was the leader or whatever it was of these vampires, whenever the others went to make a move they would spare a glance at him, almost asking for approval. It was only if Jane starred directly at Bruce she could catch the slightest change in facial expression, indicating some approval or other command. Although Jane found it intriguing trying to decipher the slightest flicker of his eyes or tiny twitch of his mouth, but she restrained her curiosity, she knew, from experience, that to be caught starring at Bruce only invited his attention, and his attention was not something to be desired, at least not by Jane.

Bruce took his seat on the black leather couch opposite the girls spreading his arms out over the back of the couch in a mock relaxed position. Anyone who knew Bruce, knew he never really relaxed, he just pretended as if it was all a big ploy to throw his prey off.  
The others filtered out around the room.  
"Please take a seat, you are my guests' Bruce exclaimed waving to the chairs.  
Two new vampires Jane had not seen before sat in arm chairs either side of Bruce and the girls. Jane knew better than to stare at other vampires, she had learned pretty fast the best way to stay on the good side of Bruce, his lackeys and whatever 'guests' they were entertaining. It basically composed of keeping your eyes on the floor, staying quiet and unnoticeable and doing exactly what they say. But through a combination of strategically placed glances and straining her peripheral vision she saw that the one on her right was tall, well built with blonde hair and an inquisitive look on his face. She had a close call when she thought he might have caught her looking but he had his eyes on Darling who was practically quaking in her spot from trying to keep all her emotions inside, she also had learnt the negative effects of crying or whimpering audibly in Bruce's presence, although Jane was sorry to remember she had not been so quick to learn this lesson. The vampire on her left seemed in contrast to his surroundings, he seemed to be wearing white plain clothing, but Jane had seen many more surprising styles on Bruce's vampire guests before. He reminded her of a portrait you might see in a museum or old house. One of a young ancestor, that until you get closer to admire the work you don't notice the true age in their face, the age that reveals that they really have been hanging on this wall for however many hundreds of years, though from a distance they seem like their youth has been captured eternally.  
"You will not sit Pam? Here there is room by me" Bruce indicted to a women standing somewhere behind the blonde on Jane's right.  
"I am much obliged Bruce, but I am quite fine where I am" the woman replied.  
"It has been so long, how are you my good comrades?" Bruce exclaimed  
The one on Jane's left replied in a strangely accented voice "We are well, Bruce, what business did you wish to discuss with us this evening?"  
"Ah, straight to it then! No time for pleasantries even?" Bruce replied in a mock joking tone.  
Jane could sense his frustration, he did not tend to overcompensate like this except with other vampires that seemed to have a higher standing than him. Jane sensed the situation growing volatile, and abandoned any curiosity she might have had and kept her eyes glued to her shoes. Otherwise tonight could be her unlucky night. When the girls had all been rounded up that first night there was five in total, they were already one down and Jane did not wish to be the next to be sold. They had gradually discovered that they would each of them end up either sold to another vampire to be killed or killed by one of Bruce's lackeys or by Bruce himself. Although Jane feared the last option the most.

Every night since being taken they had been dragged around to another vampire club or bar or even private homes while Bruce talked business which sometimes ended with them all walking away and no imminent death threats for the evening but sometimes they left a girl behind as some kind of payment or agreement. So far the only one had been Lucy, a quiet blonde girl who had on the first night gotten down on her knees and literally begged to be let go, which Bruce replied with "yes my sweethearts, eventually I will see you all off to good homes", but he had fed from her afterwards rather more violently than necessary as a reprimand for such behaviour.

Jane had been deep in these recollections when she realised Bruce and his guests were currently deep in conversation, Bruce talked about the same sort things he always did. Of who owed what and what interest and what could be collected and what alliances could be made. Often name dropping dozens of other vampires in the process. Jane could by no means keep track and didn't really wish to. At first she had the inspiration that if she listened and paid attention and played this smart she might somehow orchestrate their escape one day. But it wasn't long before this hope was squashed and she realised that each and every one of them would meet their end at one of the three options; be killed by bruce, by one of his lackey or whichever of his guests they were sold to. This was just how it would be, how it had been for the girls before them and those that would be collected after they were all gone.

Jane got a fright when she heard Bruce laugh, it was only a fake laugh, but it was bone chilling none the less. "See something you like Eric?" Bruce said.  
Out of pure fear and shock Jane looked straight up at Bruce without even thinking, then drawn by his gaze looked at the blonde vampire who was staring straight at her. She felt like a deer in headlights, she didn't know what to do, she couldn't read his expression. Couldn't tell if he was about to leap over and snap her neck or gracefully lead her out of the room to be drained dry. She didn't know what to do.

"Would you perhaps consider taking one as repayment or even two, I suppose, if you wish?" Bruce said, drawing Jane's attention back to him. This was it, it was her night to leave the others behind and face her fate.  
But all of a sudden she realised that she was staring at Bruce now and he had turned his gaze back on her. It was an awful thing to be held in his gaze, she could read his intentions easily. It was at this point that Bruce added "although that one in particular I am not so sure I want to part with"

Jane's stomach convulsed, she realised her worse fears might yet be realised. She immediately threw her gaze down to the floor, infuriated with herself for acting so stupidly, starring straight into the eyes of one murderous creature after another. After all the care she had taken so far to be next to invisible she had ruined now within a few moments where hardly anything had happened except a few intense looks. She felt a renewed sense of panic as she had felt the first night.

"I will take that one, Bruce" the one called Eric stated bluntly.

Jane didn't dare look up again; she began to feel herself shake with fear, the endless gruesome possibilities running through her mind. She felt a hand rub gently against her thigh, realising that it was Darling that now pitied her and was trying to make her last moments more peaceful. Jane despised how quickly everything had changed, how quickly she had lost whatever smidge of control she might have had of her situation.  
She soon felt numb once again; it spread down to her toes. She could hardly process what they were even saying now.

"Yes you are so good to remind me, you are right, she would be a very suitable payment" Bruce said with a slight twinge of nervousness.

"We shall leave now, I expect you will find some way to repay what else is owed before long" Eric said very smoothly with much insinuation.  
They both stood; impulsively Jane looked up at each of them, as they both looked down at her.

"You belong to them now girl, you will leave with them now" Bruce exclaimed rather angrily.

Jane felt this renewed sense of gratitude that at least it would not be done by him, and used it to make her muscles move, so that she could make herself stand. She felt the hands of each of the two girls either side of her brush hers as she got up. She knew this to be some kind of makeshift farewell; a single touch seemed to speak a thousand words. And with that she followed the two vampires and the lady vampire, Pam, out the door and she never again saw Darling or the other two, Rebecca and Tracy, much the same as Lucy never again saw them.


End file.
